Today's 'Bizarro'

Music jokes on the comics page...

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Bizarro for January 10

Another Apple prediction

So everybody has been speculating about Apple producing a cellular phone, a widescreen iPod, and various other bits of technology. But, as Valleywag has stated, there's probably something even bigger coming up.

I bet it has something to do with the 32GB NAND Flash chip that SanDisk announced a few days ago...

Geekzone: SanDisk Launches 32 Gigabyte Solid State Drive

Just do it!

from W. H. Murray:

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

I can definitely see an application of this in my life. For the last 6-9 months I've been talking about setting up a Linux server at home with the computer I got from a friend who moved out-of-state.

About a month ago I finally just did it. Installation and setup made me an hour late for work that day (though nobody really gets in to my office by 8am; the administration only really cares if you get at least 40 hours in per week), but finally just jumping in was a great experience. Since I'm currently enrolled in classes to get a UNIX sysadmin certification, playing with the server is great preparation work.

So I'm looking into other ways in which I can just jump right into things I've been talking about but "haven't really gotten around to." It's my experience that my perception of activities as difficult gets shattered after I make myself start. I'm resolving to quit hemming and hawing and get to work on those things that have been on my "Someday" list for a while.

W. H. Murray on the power of starting (via 43 Folders)

Watch This!

"Tony vs. Paul" is an awesome stop-motion film that you should really take a look at. Come on, it's only 5 minutes out of your day... :)

YouTube - Tony vs. Paul (via Pogue's Posts)

John Gruber on Universal Music Group

As many technology-minded people are no doubt already aware, Microsoft's new Zune music player is bad for the industry for more reasons than merely its lack of style and just-a-bit-too-late-to-the-party device immaturity.

That's right: Microsoft has agreed to give Universal one dollar for every Zune sold. This is akin to the "piracy tax" that Canadians pay on blank CDs: since the device can be used to play illegally-obtained audio, the music distributor is asking for recompense on those acts of piracy that will "inevitably" occur with the new device. Granted, in the U.S we used to pay a similar "piracy tax" on blank audio cassettes, but the public as a whole was neither interested nor informed.

But since Microsoft has allowed one peddler of recorded music to get in on profits from the Zune, this may open the floodgates to distributors asking for a cut of profits from sales of other devices as well. The link below goes to John Gruber's fictionalized discussion of how such a meeting between Universal and Apple might go, if the media giant wanted to get a piece of the iPod at their next iTunes contract renegotiation.

(Warning: satire ahead)

Daring Fireball: Conjectural Transcript of the Upcoming Negotiations Between Apple and Universal Music

The 100 Greatest TV Quotes & Catch Phrases

TV Land has compiled what it deems to be the 100 greatest lines from television. It's a pretty neat list (link below), and here are some of my favorites:

* "D'oh!" (Homer Simpson, "The Simpsons")
* "Holy (whatever), Batman!" (Robin, "Batman")
* "Holy crap!" (Frank Barone, "Everybody Loves Raymond")
* "I can't believe I ate the whole thing" (Alka Seltzer ad)
* "Is that your final answer?" (Regis Philbin, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire")
* "No soup for you!" (The Soup Nazi, "Seinfeld")
* "Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?" (Grey Poupon ad)
* "Schwing!" (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, "Saturday Night Live")
* "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids" (Trix cereal ad)
* "Suit up!" (Barney Stinson, "How I Met Your Mother")
* "We are two wild and crazy guys!" (Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as Czech playboys, "Saturday Night Live")
* "You eeeediot!" (Ren, "Ren & Stimpy")

It's cool that a show that's only in its second season (How I Met Your Mother, one of the few shows I actually watch these days) has already created a phrase popular enough to be put on a list like this.

Dyn-O-Mite! TV Land lists catchphrases

The Biggest Understatement in All of Eternity

Today's classic Calvin and Hobbes (originally published November 29, 1995) is disturbingly prophetic. If Watterson thought things were going down the tubes eleven years ago, I imagine he's positively appalled by now. If so, I'm in complete agreement.

goComics.com featuring Calvin and Hobbes

Computer Security: Is Windows Worth It?

I recently read an article in USA Today about the measures people take to secure their Windows PCs. Since switching to the Mac a few years ago, I can't help but shudder when I remember the attention I had to pay just to keep the machine running smoothly. Just keeping up with Microsoft's security updates on my wife's Windows laptop (she needed it for work) is difficult.

There are so many options: you can shell out money for anti-malware utilities ("malware" is a term that encompasses all malicious software, from viruses to worms to spyware), or you can find comparable software for free if you know where to look. But even once the software has been installed, you still need to diligently check the Internet for updates; otherwise, your money and/or effort is rendered useless.

And then I look at my Mac. It's a great machine: it does almost anything you would require right out of the box (aside from a few small shareware and donationware products, the only Mac software I've purchased is Microsoft Office), and it's got an inherently better security system than the one found in Windows.

As the linked article testifies, I don't mean to imply that Macs are somehow immune to intrusion. As John Gruber puts it:

The explanation that makes sense is the obvious one: that Mac OS X really is more secure and better designed. Not that it’s totally secure. Not that it’s perfectly designed. Not that it is utterly impervious to attack because it’s protected by magic leprechauns. Just that it’s better.

As disheartened as I am by the state of Windows security, I can say that there really is a better option for the average user. (The fact that it's also a really cool option for advanced users is an added benefit.) Mac OS X really does make a home computer easy to operate, easy to maintain, and-- thanks to its thoughtful design-- pretty darn easy on the eyes as well.


Links mentioned in this post:
As far as PC security, Goldilocks got it just right (USA Today)
Jackass of the Week: Larry Seltzer (Daring Fireball)

Bush Sr. + Clinton = A Laugh Riot?

From the linked article:

They're separated by more than 20 years, they come from opposing political parties, and one evicted the other from the White House. But Bill Clinton and George Bush act like a team, a pair of touring comedians with a well-honed act.

Bill, George show keeps laughs coming - Associated Press

Baby Got Book

I like... big... BIBLES and I cannot lie...



...NIV with the ribbon bookmark...